The UK Betting and Gaming Council recently launched an online interactive game called "Spot The Black Market," aimed at helping consumers differentiate between regulated gambling sites and illegal operators. Players need to identify which are legitimate sites and which are unlicensed platforms through a series of simulated screenshots. In essence, it allows players to practice in a simulated environment to avoid pitfalls in the real world. Want to know how the UK is tackling the illegal gambling market? Follow ongoing updates on the PASA official website.
Game Revelation: Three Fatal Flaws of Illegal Websites
The game educates users by pointing out key features of unlicensed sites, such as the absence of visible gambling commission license numbers, the use of suspicious payment methods, and irregular or vague terms and conditions. BGC states that this exercise highlights how easily illegal operators can mimic the appearance and branding of legitimate companies, potentially misleading consumers who are not aware of the lack of regulatory protection. Studies in other European markets like Sweden show that players generally do not know the difference between legal and illegal gambling sites.
Black Market Size: £2.7 billion in bets lost annually, tax changes may exacerbate risks
In stark contrast to the regulated market, which contributes £6.8 billion annually to the UK economy and supports about 109,000 jobs, illegal platforms do not pay taxes in the UK nor provide financial support to the sports industry. A study commissioned by BGC in 2024 shows that the amount of online betting with black market operators in the UK reaches up to £2.7 billion annually. Following the government's confirmation last November of an increase in remote gambling tax, some policymakers warn that the increased cost to players might push them towards the black market, with concerns about the decline in channelization rates being mentioned several times in Parliament in recent months.
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This article is from "PASA-Global iGaming Leaders," a gambling industry news channel:https://t.me/pasa_news
Original in-depth gambling channel:https://t.me/gamblingdeep
Free data reports: @pasa_research
PASA Matrix: @pasa002_bot
PASA official website: https://www.pasa.news
